280-22-0571 Amendment 1 - Q and A.pdf

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicble)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

FACILITY CODE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICIATION NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended, is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a)By completing items 8 and 15, and returning copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment your desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPIRATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER

NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc. ) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15C. DATE SIGNED

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION ( Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

PAGE OF PAGES

6. ISSUED BY CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code) (X)

CODE

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

NSN 7540-01-152-8070

Previous edition unusable

1 7

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICAITON NO.

Amendment 001 09/30/21

SAMHSA, DHHS

Division of Contracts Management, OFR 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20850

Same as Item 6

TO ALL PROSPECTIVE OFFERORS

RFP Titled: “Behavioral Health Case Management & Behavioral

Health Services for Separated Families"

280-22-0571

September 22, 2021

The purpose of this amendment is to answer questions raised by potential offerors. The due date for proposals remains October 20, 2021, 3:00 p.m. ET.

DANNY UHR, CONTRACTING OFFICER

09/30/2021

RFP No. 280-22-0571 Amendment 1 Q&As

280-22-0571 “Behavioral Health Case Management & Behavioral Health Services for Separated Families”

Questions and Answers

1. In reference to L.4.a., the RFP states “A fully-assembled business proposal including all attachments will be required to be submitted, as well as Excel spreadsheets of the budget sheets and other worksheets” (emphasis added). Can the Government please clarify if all attachments listed in Section J (Attachments 1a-18) are required to be submitted with the business proposal, even if certain attachments are reference documents and require no additional information?

Answer: Not all attachments are required to be submitted with the business proposal.

Only attachments 6, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 are required to be submitted with the business proposal.

2. Should Attachment 6, SF LLL-A, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, be placed in the technical proposal or in the business proposal?

Answer: In the business proposal.

3. In reference to L.4.k., is Attachment 12 required for all current contracts, or only for the last three (3) contracts and subcontracts completed during the past THREE (3) years?

Answer: Attachment 12 is required for existing and prior contracts for similar services.

4. Does the past performance requirement in L.4.k. apply to the Prime Contractor and each major subcontractor or are the 3 past performance contracts and subcontracts required only for the Prime Contractor?

Answer: Prime and each major subcontractor.

5. Page 56 of the RFP states that “For all proposed personnel who are not currently members of the offeror's staff, a letter of commitment or other evidence of availability is required.” Is it the Government’s intention to limit this requirement to key personnel or other important members of the team who will be providing direct labor under this contract? While this requirement is feasible for the key personnel associated with this program, it is not feasible to supply letters of commitment from the pool of prospective subcontractors who will comprise the national network of behavioral health providers. The pool of providers will be established based on where referred class members are located, which will necessarily be adjusted on an as needed basis over the contract term.

Answer: Letters of commitment are not required from the pool of providers who will compromise the national network of behavioral health providers. Letters of commitment from all other subcontractors, consultants, and staff whose hiring is contingent upon award of the Contract are required in the technical proposal.

6. Task 4.1 in the PWS states that “The network shall be established through a salary time-buy-out

(% FTE) to offer free of charge mental health assessments and services for families.” Can the Government provide more information about a “salary time-buy-out” methodology and how those costs should be reflected in the cost/price forms and data of the Business Proposal?

Answer: The intent is to buy-out a percentage of each behavioral health provider’s time or salary. The offeror should provide their proposed number of FTEs and salaries for the providers needed as listed in the task.

7. Task 4.1 in the PWS states that “The network shall be established through a salary time-buy-out (% FTE) to offer free of charge mental health assessments and services for families.” Can an offeror include payments made through a salary time-buy-out in the Other Direct Costs category of the budget?

Answer: Yes. The offeror should provide sufficient details regarding the ODCs. Please see the answer to Question 6.

8. Task 3 of the PWS indicates that behavioral health services and case management services may be made available virtually or in person. Many families may not have access to the technology necessary to access HIPAA compliant technology to participate in telehealth services. May the Contractor include in the proposed budget costs for such technology?

Answer: Technology costs can be included in the budget in adherence with the overall technical approach.

9. If the offeror identifies providers who offer indigenous/traditional healing practices that are in alignment with class members’ cultural values, but the provider does not 1) meet the personnel credentialing requirements in the RFP and/or 2) provide that are classified as an EBP, can the offeror still refer class members who request such services to these providers, in an effort to provide culturally-relevant services?

Answer: Indigenous/traditional services can be provided with approval from the COR/ACOR. All services are to be overseen by senior credentialed staff.

10. Section 1.5 states, “Within six (6) weeks after the CED, the Contractor shall establish and maintain an efficient electronic method to facilitate the management and de-identified tracking of individuals as they are contacted and referred for services.” Would it be acceptable to fulfill this requirement within ten (10) weeks to meet the RFP 280-22-0571 Attachment 1a PWS and RFP 280-22-0571 Attachment 1b_General Requirements.docx?

Answer: The offeror should make every effort to adhere to the 6 week deadline. However, SAMHSA will allow a two-week grace period to bring the final deadline to 8 weeks after the CED.

11. The PWS includes two brief references to an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) on pages 15 and 18 but does not provide a definition or additional references to development or use of an EMR.

Could the Government please clarify the difference between the project tracking system and the EMR, and whether they are intended to be different systems?

Answer: The project tracking system and the EMR are two separate systems. Please refer to Task 1.5 for the specifics of the project tracking system. The EMR should be used to document clinical encounters.

12. If the Government intends for the project tracking system and EMR to be two different systems, can the Government please explain how it expects the two systems to interact?

Answer: The offeror should propose the answer to this question in their technical approach.

13. Task 1 in the PWS states a standard that “Contractor establishes and maintains a Project

Tracking System and Electronic Health Management System consistent with the PWS.” If the Government intends for the project tracking system and EMR to be two different systems, can the Government clarify that “Electronic Health Management System” means the “Electronic Medical Record” referenced in Task 1 of the PWS?

Answer: The EMR can be considered part of an Electronic Health Management System.

14. Task 6.1 of the PWS on pages 21-24 detail the specific data elements the Government expects

Contractor to track. If the Government intends the Project Tracking System and EMR to be two different systems, what specific data elements need to be tracked in the EMR versus the Project Tracking System?

Answer: The offeror should propose the answer to this question in their technical approach in accordance with the guidance given in the PWS. Please see answer to Question 11.

15. If the Government intends the Project Tracking System to be distinct from and EMR, does the

Government expect provider’s EMR/EHR to interact with Contractor’s EMR?

16. For the data detailed in 6.1(a)-(e), does the Government expect that the Contractor will collect individual outcome data for each class member (de-identified) in order to report on aggregate outcomes?

Answer: Yes.

17. For the data detailed in 6.1(a)-(e), is aggregate trend-level data sufficient to meet the Government’s data and evaluation requirements?

Answer: We expect aggregate data, as outlined in Subtask 6.1, to be reported and not just trend-level data.

18. For the data detailed in 6.1(a)-(e), if the Government does expect individual outcome data for each class member, what is the frequency at which the Government expects that data to be collected?

Please see answer to Question 17.

19. Although the technical details are not explicitly referenced in, “RFP 280-22-0571 Attachment

1a_PWS.docx,” can it be confirmed that the PWS technology requirements such as the Project Tracking System and Electronic Medical Record (if a separately required system) need to align to the entirety of RFP 280-22-0571 Attachment 1b_General Requirements.docx?

Answer: Yes.

20. Page 53 of the RFP references, “…Information Technology Plans are not included in the page count.” The detailed requirement for IT Plans is also listed in RFP 280-22-0571 Attachment 1b_General Requirements.docx. However, Page 59 of the RFP under IT Proposed Resources states, “Offerors must submit a budget and a narrative for each of the IT resources proposed and an IT Technical Approach for accomplishing the tasks described in the PWS.” Can the “IT Technical Approach” be covered in the “IT Plan” which is not counted in the overall proposal page limits?

Answer: The IT Technical Approach under IT Proposed Resources is part of the business proposal, which does not have a page limit.

21. Regarding Tasks 1.5 and 6, does the Government expect enhancements to the Project Tracking

Systems or EMR (if a different system) over the course of the contract? What annual LOE should be planned to support desired SAMSHA enhancements (e.g., system changes to support evolving data elements and enhanced reporting)?

22. Does the Government expect to provide an interim ATO in order to meet the deadlines for the

Project Tracking System and EMR (if a distinct system) implementation?

Answer: The government does not provide interim ATOs. SAMHSA is pursuing an ATO assessment and will work with the contractor as needed regarding an ATO.

23. Task 6.2 in the PWS appears to have a typo on page 25, which states that the contractor shall “Collaborate with the program evaluation team and identified by the COR/ACOR and comply with monitoring and evaluation recommendations made by the evaluation team.” Can the Government please correct this sentence?

Answer: The sentence should read “Collaborate with the program evaluation team and identified by the COR/ACOR and comply with monitoring and evaluation recommendations made by the evaluation team.”

24. Regarding Task 6.2 on page 24 of the PWS, who is the evaluation team referenced? Is this a separate contractor or SAMHSA staff?

Answer: The evaluation team is to be determined. It may be SAMHSA staff, a separate contractor, or a combination of both.

25. Regarding Task 6.2 on page 24 of the PWS, is there an evaluation approach already defined or is there an expectation that the Contractor proposes an evaluation approach under this task?

Answer: No evaluation approach is expected for this contract. This is a collaboration subtask with an evaluation team outside of this contract, which will use the data collected by this contract.

26. Regarding Task 6.2 on page 24 of the PWS, for purposes of estimating costs, what is the Government’s level of effort for all evaluation activities in the base year and for each option year?

Answer: The offeror should determine the answer to this question in their technical approach.

27. Regarding Task 6.2 on page 24 of the PWS, for purposes of estimating costs, what is the Government’s estimated level of effort for validating fidelity to evidence-based practices?

28. Regarding Task 6.2 on page 24 of the PWS, for purposes of estimating costs, what is the Government’s estimated level of effort for providing oversight and monitoring the quality of mental and behavioral health providers?

29. Under Corporate Capabilities, Facilities and Equipment it states “The proposal should demonstrate that adequate facilities, space and equipment (such as personal computers, laptop computers, modems, and word processing, xerographic, facsimile) are available for the accomplishment of project goals and objectives. In addition to computer hardware, the offeror should demonstrate that it has the necessary software capability for the accomplishment of project goals and objectives.” Does this meant that remote case management will not be allowed and all case managers must work from the same location?

Answer: No, the proposed technical approach should take into account the necessary flexibility to provide this service.